Ripped off my dog walker? Advice please...

KS2008

Hi All,

This is my first post so please be gentle with me
A couple of weeks back we adopted our lovely dog from the local pound, now as we both work full-time we organised for a local dog walker to come and walk her for 1/2 hour every lunchtime around 12pm ish for which we pay £6 per day.

The dog walker had been recommended to me and we had previously used them as they have a small animal boarding shed which we had boarded our rabbits in.

Everything has been going ok, we have been getting regular updates etc. Now the thing is yesterday I was off work poorly so had text them telling them that I would be in when the dog walker got there - so low and behold 12pm came and went and the dog walker turned up at 1.10pm, he then took her for a walk and brought her back 20 mins later (I timed him). Now the thing is we pay £6 for 1/2 hr, so by rights for 20mins we should pay £4.... However, because I was feeling wimpy and ill like the wuss that I am I didnt say anything....

However, after the event I am getting quite annoyed - firstly if we are letting somebody come in and take our little doggy out we need to be able to trust they are providing the service that they say they are and secondly he took her for 20 mins when I was there - does he take her for even less when we arent?

Anyway, I just wanted other people's opinions about what they would do in the same situation....

Any advice welcomed :cool:

Thanks,
Kat

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Personally, I would be upstairs sometime soon, without mentioning it to them - then see whether they turn up at all. Phone them when they're supposedly out with the dog and see what they say - perhaps under the pretext that you had a message taken by a temp and you weren't sure if it was them, for example.

If you have seen them collect the dog and come back in ten minutes, or not at all, you don't have to confront them, you can decide whether you want to continue with them or go ahead and find a new one before declining future visits.

aliasojo

I kinda agree with Jojo, except I wouldn't be upstairs because I'd be worried about the dog sniffing or giving me away. I'd hide round the corner somewhere to watch (and then probably get reported for suspicious behaviour by the neighbours knowing my luck ).

I'd not say anything about this instance but I'd be looking to find out what the norm is and unfortunately the only way to truely find that out is to spy on him somewhat.

gettingready

I have gone through a few dog walkers before I found one that I was happy with so feel your pain....

One thing I would suggest was talk to neighbours to help you out here, they could note the times the dog is picked up/dropped of for a few days in a raw and then you can take it from there.

The dog walkers I was happy with were here always on time and Zara had a proper 1 hour walk - the time getting to/coming back from the park/fields did not come in that one hour. One hour was a WALK.

I have a feeling that wilth half an hour it gets a bit complicated for the dog walkers - is your dog being walked on individual basis?

Zara was going with a group of dogs. She was out sometimes for 2 hours as the dog walker had to pick up/drop off other dogs so yes, part of this was being in the van BUT the walk was 1 hour.

With my previous dog walkers, my neighbour kept an eye on the timings for about 2 weeks and ... I had a good reason to let her (the dog walker) go as she was coming in late, bringing other dogs up with her, not doing the full hour walk... and dog food was dissapearing from my cupboards LOL

All the best.

KS2008

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, I think that would be the only way.
I am fairly confident that they are in every day because there have been a few days when she has escaped from her crate and they have put her back in etc (I have seen the chewed objects to verify this! )

It is difficult for me to get the time to do this, but I may have an opportunity next Friday.

I thought about mentioning it in a text, but hate causing any conflict and obviously when somebody has access to your house and your dog you cannot be too careful!

gettingready

I know it is difficult to get time off work for this so please try talking to your neighbours......some may actually like the idea of playing a detective

You need to see a pattern so one day is not enough.

Perhaps the dog walker is slightly overbooked just that one day per week and cuts corners there?

If you have timings for 1-2 weeks not days, you will have a better picture.

KS2008

Thanks for that GettingReady - yes well she is usually being walked in a group and because we live in a 1st floor apartment I have specifically asked that she is always picked up first and dropped off last because we cant have other dogs around as it is a shared hallway, now everytime I ask what order they do things in they are a bit shady about it - never really giving me a full answer.

The other thing I asked is that they take their shoes off and wipe her down/put her straight in her crate if wet or muddy... but have found marks on the carpets (I am not going mad about this because I realise the demands are a bit diva-ish! )

Hmmmm, reading this makes me realise I dont really trust them either that or I am a complete control freak :rotfl:

Idiophreak

Have you got a camcorder or similar you could just leave running for the day? At least get a good idea of what's going on for a couple of weeks...

gettingready

KS2008 wrote: »

I have specifically asked that she is always picked up first and dropped off last because we cant have other dogs around as it is a shared hallway, now everytime I ask what order they do things in they are a bit shady about it - never really giving me a full answer.

Well, then she should be out of the flat for at least an hour - allowing for pick up/drop off other dogs.

Saying that, I doubt she is picked up first/dropped off last as this may not be practical from the dog walker's point of view, depends where the other dogs are/where he/she is taking them. The other dogs would have been staying in the dog walker's van anyway when she picks up /drops off yours.

KS2008 wrote: »

The other thing I asked is that they take their shoes off and wipe her down/put her straight in her crate if wet or muddy... but have found marks on the carpets (I am not going mad about this because I realise the demands are a bit diva-ish! )

There is your remaining 10 minutes - it takes time to wipe the dog down, refill the water dish etc.

You may need to really talk to your dog walker as she/he seems to be charging for the time spend with the dog all together, not just purely walking the dog.

In my experience (went through 5 dog walkers) you need to be very specific what you expect and very reasonable about what you can expect in the time given ie the time you are paying for.

In my experience, dog walkers are not happy with 30 minutes as there really is not much that can be done in 30 minutes, not the group walks anyway as it takes them more time to pick up/drop off the dogs than actually waling them and they only get paid for those 30 minutes so financially it may not be any good for them - from their point of view.

My dog walkers would only accept/take group walks for an hour slot. Shorter walks they do only with dogs on individual basis (and charge more for those) - perhaps this is something to take into consideration?

KS2008 wrote: »

Hmmmm, reading this makes me realise I dont really trust them either that or I am a complete control freak :rotfl:

It takes time to find someone suitable, it takes time to build the trust but the bottom line is to be very, VERY clear about what you expect and very reasonable in what actually can be done in the time slot....

All the best

olias

Ok, I accept that you care enough about your dog to employ a dog walker and am glad that you also care enough to be concerned that they are doing a good job, but, and this is where I wll probably get slated....Is it really a good idea to own a dog, when you and your partner are out at work full time and you live in a flat, and the dog does not even have the run of that flat but is confined to a crate for presumably the 8 or 9 hours you are out at work, and presumably then again the 7 or 8 hours you are sleeping?

Olias

KiKi

olias wrote: »

Is it really a good idea to own a dog, when you and your partner are out at work full time and you live in a flat, and the dog does not even have the run of that flat but is confined to a crate for presumably the 8 or 9 hours you are out at work, and presumably then again the 7 or 8 hours you are sleeping?
Olias

I agree with you - I am so sad that this dog is in a crate all day. Poor, poor thing to not be able to move far or walk around.

I'm not having a go at you, OP, but you really have to question if this is fair. No wonder she breaks out from her crate to move around when she's so confined for what is presumably two thirds of the day. So sad. Can she not have the run of the flat?

KiKi